The kids are instructed to rise whenever an adult enters the room, they address adults by Mr. so and so or Mrs. so and so.

I really liked the way the school is structured.

I am considering this option only because I am a single mom and many times, my business suffers when I have the kids here all day. They need to go out and be involved in things and many times I find myself running around everywhere with them.

Just considering it, don't know if I'll do it.

Even for those of you who are not single parents and who do not work, do you find it overwhelming sometimes to have the kids around 24/7?

As far as private schools, we pulled ours out of one to begin
homeschooling.

If your children can handle it and it is a good school, then okay.. but they
are not all the same.
Do I wish we could go back to it? sometimes, yes.
but not when I remember just how much my kids have improved at home.

I don't think private school would work for our family. First of all we can't/won't afford the tuition when there are less expensive and higher quality options available to us. Secondly, most of them around here are Catholic or various denominations of Christianity - which we aren't. Clearly that won't work for us. Thirdly, I still feel that a lot of the problems that go on in public schools (poor socialization, violence, drugs, etc.) still happen in public schools. I'm still not a fan of the highly structured schooling that happens in both public schools and private schools. It goes against my whole philosophy of what learning should be and how it should occur.

If you find a good one you can trust and one your kids seem happy in though, I would say give it a shot. Everyone's arrangement is going to be different based on what works for that particular family._________________To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent.

I was not happy with Private school. In fat I am very JADED against Small Private schools.
Honestly, if I had to send the boys back to school, I would send them back to public school.
The reasons:

1. Public school are required to provide special needs (Speech, OT, PT, IEP's) if needed, they have someone staffed (may no be onsight 100% of the time, but someone staffed to access these needs such as a pscychologist or Social Worker or a Certified credentialed therapist (Speech, OT, PT). MOST private schools do not have the budget for these positions to be represented.

2. Ok, I paid close to 4K a year to have my son attend Kindergarten above that DH and I were REQUIRED to volunteer 20 hours EACH. If we did not complete those hours we would be invoiced an additional $20 an hour that we did not complete(up to an additional $800 per family). ABOVE that... We were constently badgered to donate more money or fundraise. We didn't do those goofy fundraisers the kids are bringin home, we did Annual Events such as a Rummage sale, a golf outing, a dinner, etc...

3. Private schools are typically so small that IF you have an issue with your child's teacher (which I did), you either have to stick it out fr the remainder of the year, or transfer your child out (which I did after trying to reasonably work out the issues for 6 months).

The school was a lot like you described. Everything you commented were the exact reasons why we sent our child there. Very structured, Classical Method, Grades 1-12 were small, however for some reason that particular year, they enrolled 25 Kindergartners. The teacher had never experienced more than 15 at one time. It was also a non-denominational Christian School.

I am not a very religious person. However their method of discilpining negative behavior was making the children Pray to be obedient. My child has been insistent against praying since (almost 2 years now).

I apologize for stpping on toes. Like I precluded this post, I am very jaded against private schools. I know not all are the same, but in my small rural area, we only had 3 to choose from, and this one was the best one of the 3.

Do you have a Boys and Girls Club that you can perhaps droup the kids off for a few hours in the afternoon to get your alone time/quiet work time?

This time of year is very rough with kids, regardless if they are in school or not. Cabin fever/Winter blues is and has hit here hard core.

When it warms up a little, things will get easier._________________Jen
Mom to 2 boys
7 and 8
Officially Homeschooling Jan 2007!